FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT BARACK OBAMA - PAGE 3

Washington: Barack Obama has defended his war strategy and said that he had faith in the Afghan mission , after the US president's commitment to the Afghanistan war was criticised by former Defence Secretary Robert Gates in his new book. "The good news is, is that because of that strategy that we came up with, by the end of this year we will have completed combat operations in Afghanistan," Obama told reporters on the eve of the release of the Gates's book. "We are in a position to continue to assist the Afghan people in making sure that they have a stable country that is working on behalf of the Afghan people and that it is a good partner with us," Obama said.

WASHINGTON: Asserting that success of women translate into country's success, US President Barack Obama has said that there was still more work to do and more doors of opportunity to open for them. "We know that when women succeed, America succeeds. In the 21st century, a mother should be able to raise her daughter and be her role model--showing her that with hard work, there are no limits to what she can accomplish," he said. The US President, father of two teenage daughters, pledged to tear down all barriers that deny women equal opportunity, in his proclamation issued yesterday to declare August 26 as the Women's Equality day. "But too often, the women and girls who lift up our nation achieve extraordinary success only after overcoming the legacy of unequal treatment," he said.

NEW DELHI: There is much excitement over Obama's visit to India but its neighbours at least one seems to be rubbishing the brouhaha. China's official news agency Xinhua on Monday said India's relationship with China were unlikely to be affected because of the Obama visit. In its "In depth" section, the agency in an article published on Monday evening said, "China and India do have their differences, with the most outstanding ones in relation to their border disputes. However, aside from China's repeated declaration of its intention to settle border disputes with India peacefully at an early date, there are other cases in point that could serve as testament of growing rapport between Beijing and New Delhi , with the latest being joint new year celebrations by the two sides at a bordering area on January 1. " Calling the year 2014 as the one that probably witnessed the most frequent exchange of highlevel visits between the two neighbours in nearly 60 years, the media agency said, the India and China, despite their differences, share mutual benefits in so many different ways, making them natural partners in many different areas.

By Robert J Shiller As US President Barack Obama begins his second term, he needs a simple way to express his vision and policies for the economy â€" a metaphor around which support for his policies might crystallise, thereby boosting his administration's political effectiveness. So, what makes a successful metaphor work? The 2008 Obama campaign used the slogan "Change we can believe in". But "change" is not a metaphor for a new government: it does not stand for any policies.

Ezra Klein Here's the weird thing about Paul Ryan being named to the Republican presidential ticket: it's all part of Barack Obama's campaign plan - a plan that's working better than his strategists could have hoped. It could also backfire more disastrously than they have ever imagined. It's hard to remember now, but there was a time, not long ago, when Ryan was no better known than Democrat John Spratt of South Carolina, his predecessor as chairman of the House Budget Committee.

CHICAGO: It was just before midnight last November when Barack Obama stepped on stage in a darkened auditorium in Iowa, trailing in the polls, taking on one of the biggest names in Democratic politics _ and facing a make-or-break moment. His star-making turn when he had introduced himself to America at the Democratic convention in 2004 was a fading memory, his 9-month-old presidential campaign had been lackluster at times. Iowa, he knew, could be the end _ or the beginning.

FLORIDA: America's trust deficit with Pakistan was evident today as Barack Obama and Mitt Romney clashed on key foreign policy issues in the final presidential debate here during which the President savaged his Republican rival for his "wrong and reckless leadership". In the last of the three high-stake 90-minute debates ahead of November 6 elections, President Obama was the aggressor from the start of the encounter which provided both the candidates a last chance to appeal to millions of voters in what appears to be a neck-and-neck race to the White House . According to a snap poll, Obama won the final presidential debate; and same was the case for other opinion polls including that of CBS news.

NEW DELHI: One of the first things that Barack Obama did after landing in New Delhi was hit the gym at the ITC Maurya , the luxury hotel where he stayed. "This was his way of beating the jetlag," sources told ET. While he spent almost an hour at the gym, First Lady Michelle Obama went up to Grand Presidential Suite to relax. She spent better part of the day in the suite, done up in warm Indian hues of red and orange. Obama, 53, is known for his sense of discipline and fitness re gimen.

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has announced the appointment of two eminent Indian Americans - Paula Gangopadhyay and Sonny Ramaswamy - to key posts in the administration. While Gangopadhyay has been nominated Member of the prestigious National Museum and Library Services Board, Ramaswamy has been appointed Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) in US Department of Agriculture, the White House said.